The present invention relates to vehicle tailgates, and more particularly to vehicle tailgates that include a multifunction assembly extendable therefrom.
Conventionally, pickup trucks include a tailgate at the back of a bed that closes off a cargo box. Often times, the truck bed is not long enough to hold the cargo, so truck bed extenders have been developed. The truck bed extenders work in conjunction with the tailgate in order to provide additional length to the bed. Some designs for pickup truck bed extenders mount to the outside of the tailgate, which may be convenient for deployment and avoid concerns with deployment mechanisms, but they tend to interfere with cargo space in the box since the bed extender, when not in use, protrudes into the box. Moreover, it is typical for the vehicle operator to employ the extender only occasionally, so it is undesirable to have the extender exposed at all times, which detracts from the attractiveness of the vehicle.
Additionally, it is sometimes desirable to have an extender that can provide other functions in addition to a bed extender, such as an assist step type of function, (a downwardly extending structure from an open tailgate that can be stepped-on for assistance in entering the bed). While some externally mounted extenders provide such a function, they are, again, unsightly, even when not in use. Moreover, many of these designs are cumbersome and bulky, making them even more undesirable.
In attempts to overcome the drawbacks of the externally mounted bed extenders, there has been developed flush mounted extenders that are stowed in the tailgate when not in use. Some even provide for a downward rotation ability so the extender can be used as an assist step. Being out of sight when not in use presents a more attractive vehicle, but the part of the extender that acts as a step is generally much narrower than is desired for a step. This is due to the fact that it is narrower or only about the same width as the thickness of the tailgate in order to allow the extender to retract within and remain flush with the tailgate.
Another drawback with common bed extenders is that a desirable feature of conventional tailgates may be lost. That is, a conventional tailgate has an ornamental plastic tailgate molding mounted along its top surface. It is meant to provide a surface along which cargo can be slid into the bed without the concern of rusting due to paint being scraped off. Some bed extender designs interfere with or cause the elimination of this molding, further detracting from the appearance of the vehicle.
Thus, it is desirable to have a vehicle tailgate with a bed extender that overcomes the drawbacks of the prior art.